Since we are getting two films, some roles that appear small in The Hobbit as a book may be extended more in the films. Until we see a script, we just can't assume what we know of the book will be the same in the film. That being said, while they aren't doing a full bridge film as orginally planned, they may well be doing some bridging of stories in these two films, which could also mean characters appearing in the film that don't appear in the books.

Where am I going with this? To Rohan, of course, the only culture in the original films that had a Nordic feel to them, including a language that is Nordic based. I don't believe the timeline is right for a young Theoden, but his father, yup, that fits. Then again, I can't really see why Rohan would play in the Hobbit at all.

From the images, I could see him playing Bard or Beorn, but I think both roles are going to be more than just a few weeks worth of work. Of course, the paper could be wrong about the timeline for work, but then, how much veracity does it have if not all the facts are correct. Peace, Love and Rock & Roll,